Goooooooooooood morning, America. That was "Not ready to make nice," by the Dixie Chicks. Not a great song, but at least you don't have to watch them do "Obama Girl." A very enjoyable video which is not catching on. Anyway, it's a delightful six AM here in the United Socialist States of America. I'm Comrade Chris Matthews, I'm on now and again at four PM. I'm delighted to be here. I love a police action. It keeps you on your toes. In fact, a good union sponsored occupation can keep you awake much better than even a very strong cup of Starbucks cappuccino.
The above is a somewhat abridged rewrite of the opening words/sequence from the 1987 movie “Good Morning Vietnam,” starring Robin Williams. I inserted Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s “Hardball” to reprise the role played by Mr. Williams… I could have just as easily used Jon Stewart or Keith Olbermann…
Today is “Labor Day”… first enacted as a federal holiday back in 1894 following the deaths of a number of workers resulting from a labor/union organized event known as the Pullman Strike.
The practice of honoring labor day actually started back in September of 1882, but as a result of the violence and bloodshed from the above mentioned strike, reconciliation with the labor movement became a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making “Labor Day” a national holiday was rushed through Congress within a mere six days after the end of the strike.
Eugene V. Debs was a major player in the Pullman Strike of 1894, and was later recognized as an avowed Marxist. Since the very beginnings of the organized labor movement in the late 19th century, Socialist’s and Marxist’s have played a very large role.
The “Battle of Blair Mountain,” during the time frame of late August and early September, 1921, involved nearly 15,000 organized coal miners engaged in a pitched battle against an army of combatants [scabs and police] opposed to the unionization of the mines.
Over one million rounds were fired among the combatants within the hills of southwestern West Virginia. Heavy machine guns were used, positioned/mounted on hilltops and ridge lines and even Red Baron style bi-planes were involved to drop bombs upon the combatants. The fighting only ended after the US Army intervened by presidential order.
Note the time frame includes… “Labor Day.”
The total number killed from both sides totaled over 100, an unknown number were wounded.
John L. Lewis was during this time frame President of the United Mine Workers. He was a leading Liberal/Progressive and sympathetic to socialism… and a Republican!
Lewis was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson, his citation reading: "[An] eloquent spokesman of labor, [Lewis] has given voice to the aspirations of the industrial workers of the country and led the cause of free trade unions within a healthy system of free enterprise." No shocker in this award considering who issued it.
The activities of union organizers and their leaders have always been marketed (propagandized) as…“engaged to improve the lives of working families - to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation.” Such is their mantra.
So too is it the mantra of the “Democratic Socialist of America” (DSA), a political action committee that today yields an immense amount of power and influence in Washington DC.
So too is it part of the mantra for the “Congressional Progressive Caucus.”
The labor movement in America has since its early beginnings been largely lead by organizers and leaders who are either sympathetic towards socialism or outright avowed Socialist and Marxist. These leaders have shown time and again they are not afraid of engaging in violence to reach their end goal… the transformation of America into a Socialist nation.
The political action committee, “Democratic Socialist of America,” the largest socialist organization in America today, was formed in 1982 by a merger of the “Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee” and the “New American Movement [NAM],” both of which have their origins during the Vietnam War era. [NAM] in particular was strongly Marxist in its leanings.
Students for Economic Democracy, or SED, was a national student advocacy group established in the 1960’s by then California State Representative Tom Hayden, and his former wife, actress Jane Fonda.
Hayden authored the 1962 "Port Huron Statement," the first official political manifesto of the “Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS” – the radical 1960s protest movement from which Bill Ayers' Weathermen terrorist organization splintered.
Proponents of socialism have been around the American landscape since the mid to late 1800’s and since over the years have been steadily gaining power and influence.
It was during the years of the Vietnam War that radical activist for a “Socialist” style government in America really started to gain in strength… in part the anti-war movement was largely fanned by “Marxist” revolutionaries who viewed Americas’ efforts in Vietnam as a war against their like minded brethren… their “Socialist” comrades… the North Vietnamese were obviously fighting the evil imperialist capitalist… “to improve the lives of their families - to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to their nation.”
Many workers, indeed most American workers, who are today celebrating Labor Day are not Socialist and are for the most part deeply ingrained against socialism.
Workers who are union members are in large part as equally opposed to the principles of socialism… particularly the former Soviet style of socialism. But yet they like the benefits unions have provided. Strange as it may seem, many union workers are not ideologically socialist themselves.
So who, other than union leaders, radical student activist and university professors are Socialist?
Let’s start with US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Sanders is a self-described “Socialist” and has praised European social democracy. He particularly likes to single out Scandinavian style socialism as his ideal model. Sanders is a founder of the “Congressional Progressive Caucus” and a founder of the “Democratic Socialist for America.” I respect his honesty admitting his belief in Socialism and his openness to being a socialist rather than decietfully masqurade as something other than what he is.
Among other founders of the “Congressional Progressive Caucus” are Ronald Dellums, a former congressman from California, also an admitted socialist and Maxine Waters, congresswoman from California.
The connections between the “Democratic Socialist for America” and the “Congressional Progressive Caucus” are tightly interwoven. Many former and current members of the CPC are active or former members of the DSA. Many wish to deny or distance themselves from the DSA, but connections and past affiliations are wide and easily found.
The list of names for members of the CPC is long, there are currently over 80 members. Half of the House committees today are chaired by members of the CPC… some notable names are as follows… Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi (now speaker of the house), Lynn Woolsey, Jim McDermott, Pete Stark, Diane Watson, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Dennis Kucinich, John Conyers, Danny Davis, Alan Grayson, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Carolyn Kilpatrick, Ed Markey and Charles Rangel.
Nearly all of the current 80 members of the CPC, especially the ones named and singled out above have been or are members of the DSA or have connections with the DSA. Many other Democrats who are not members of the CPC do in fact have direct connections with the “Democratic Socialist for America”.
Let’s consider Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Ohio. She is currently involved in a very closely watched race coming up this November. She is a known former member of the DSA with close ties to Bob Fitrakis, a founding member of the Michigan Democratic Socialist Caucus, founding member of the Democratic Socialist for America and the Democratic Socialist of Central Ohio. Fitrakis credits ACORN with a large role in the election of Barack Obama.
Now this is where it gets interesting… there are no “Socialist” in Washington… or so the New York Times and many other left leaning media outlets would have you believe.
Should you confront the above listed politicians and ask any one of them if they are a socialist… they will look at you somewhat indignantly for even asking such a thing and with incredulous disdain likely remark… “I suppose you believe in UFO’s and little pink gay men from Mars, with antennae, out to take over the world”… they then will laugh at you and turn away.
This is the primary problem with Washington today. It’s not that there are socialist in places of power and influence, it is their denial part that is the problem. Europe is better off than we are here in America, from a political perspective, because at least their politicians are honest. They will readily admit if one is a socialist or not, they openly align themselves with socialist groups, political party’s, coalitions and like organizations without denial or deceit in an act of denial.
Here in America our politicians hide behind closed doors and in the shadows, pretending not to be gay… errr... I mean socialist. They refuse to come out of the closet. How ironic that analogy is.
It is this dishonesty that causes so many Americans to distrust their elected officials… they say one thing and then do another. In reality they are doing what they believe is right, but just are afraid to tell you the truth about what they believe to be right. Does this make any sense to any of you? As long as they continue to lie about who and what they are, what they are doing and why, how can we expect honesty and integrity from them?
Is Obama a socialist?
Not important. What is important is if we Americans are going to move forward, as a united nation, we need honesty from our politicians. The actions and legislative endeavors of many of our politicians so closely mirror the legislative endeavors of their admitted socialist counterparts in Europe that it is beyond bewildering and indeed outright deceitful for them to deny their support for and allegiance with socialist ideology.
This commentary is not written to debate whether socialism is right or wrong, good or bad. It has been written to hopefully cause an open and honest debate as to whether Americans want to embrace socialism or reject it. We are a democracy after all.
I’m not sure what kind of nation Bill Maher believes we live in…
It is somewhat clear our politicians already know the answer to whether we would willingly embrace socialism or not, hence their continued dishonest representation of themselves and outright disingenuous distortions of the truth regarding their affiliations with various groups that are solidly seeking to fundamentally transform America. This ‘stealthy’ approach is coming to an end… and this is exactly what I feel Nacny Pelosi was alluding to in this little speech…
Really?… the ‘Tea Party’ members are potentially violent? … or she knows the history of violence from the unions. A subtle, but yet clear shot across the bow is what I hear from her.
Ask yourself a question… “Why is it that the largest number of current and active union represented employees work for the government?”
I thought unions were needed to protect workers from evil capitalist business owners and unscrupulous industry leaders working in collusion with cigar chomping Wall Street bankers.
Is it that our poor government workers would be forced to work 15 hours a day, without lunch breaks or paid vacations if not for the protection of a union? I did not know our government was so potentially evil.
Or are the unions needed to protect our diligent and dedicated government workers from the evil Republicans, who certainly would take advantage of them if not for the unions protecting them… drats… foiled again.
Unions in the government, but yet there are no socialist holding office.
We are enjoying a day of rest today, back yard barbeque's and more. For many this is what Labor Day is all about… a day of rest. No politics, just family and God.
To others, Labor Day has much more meaning and significance with its roots in socialism and the dream for a better America... “to improve the lives of their families - to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to their nation.”
The current AFL-CIO president is Richard Louis Trumka. As head of the United Mine Workers, Trumka ordered a nationwide strike against Peabody Coal in 1993. On July 22, a non-union worker, Eddie York, was shot in the back of the head and killed as he attempted to pass striking coal workers. Picketers continued to throw rocks after York was shot, preventing his would be rescuers from assisting him. The new unionism of Trumka focuses on government workers who benefit from higher taxes and bigger government, and who therefore implicitly will support socialism and a pro-big government stance.
John Sweeney was the previous president of the AFL-CIO and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
I wonder if the union organised workers could be allowed to vote on where their union dues are spent regarding political donations... would the union leaders honor their votes? Would they allow secret voting? Would they even allow such a vote?
Socialist have never been kind to those who oppose their thinking.
